I'm a Volkl devote. Luv how they ski. I'm constantly pushing my speed limits and this ski keeps right up...I've said it 1,000 times...edges you can stand on.
@@jdthood For me it's when you find the sweet spot which is not huge on my vokl 6 stars, they will reward you with confidence. They are not lifeless or damp in the sweet spot, and give me confidence I can conquer the mountain. Skis are so personal though what one may enjoy another will hate. The Volkl skis I have owned you really have to push them hard to enjoy them. Not for the faint of heart.
Fully agree. I skied Head for the last 24 years and was trying the new Head skies at a local shop in Austria. They challenged me to try the Volkl Peregrine 82. I didn't think much of it but after just one run I was fully in love with the skies. I had right away 100% confidence in the ski something I have never felt before. I now bought a pair for my wife and my brother in law is now also buying a pair. I got the M7 myself a couple of days ago and absolutely love it!
Recently skiied the M7 Mantras! Own the latest iteration of Volkl Kendo 88s as well. While in Killington 2 weeks ago I demo'd the M7s, the new Nordica Enforcer 94s, and skiied my Kendos. Elliot what you said at 11:00 is absolutely spot on about the M7s. Found Killington to be a bit icy and the M7s had inconsistent performance. The demo shop gave the skis almost too good of a tune and edge holding went from non-existent to too strong (almost catching). But overall in icey conditions the M7s were a bit too much ski, just not a great match. A couple other skiiers agreed. But the Kendos were absolute rockstars. Overall, I would strongly recommend the Kendo 88s (latest versions) for East Coast over Mantra M7s. For me that 88 width is just a perfect dimension for fun/nimblessness/stability but also handling that ice. Of the 10+ skis I've been on the Kendos are easily the best of all of them - stable and fun!! I would say if the snow was softer the M7s would have been a better experience. Was looking for a West Coast ski to compliment the Kendos which is why I demo'd the M7s and the Enforcer 94s, but I truly think the Kendos for me will work just just fine on East and West. That 88 width is my favorite for fun skiing but can also handle most conditions. Also tried the Enforcer 94s - fun and simpler ski but was not nearly as stable in Vermont as both the Kendos and the Mantra M7. In fact after 6 runs I put the Enforcers back in the car and pulled out the Kendos and had a blast! I would appreciate a second ski that's a touch more turnier than the Kendo in 88 range but honestly I'm doubting a ski can do that without losing the top-end/stability of that Kendo (even the Maverick for me didn't come close). That's nitpicking as the Kendo can short-turn it just requires a touch more effort. And will clarify as an intermediate I don't find the Kendos or the M7s overly demanding in general at all! TLDR - M7s not too demanding if not skiing icy conditions. Kendos better in this and more forgiving - also my FAVORITE ski out there. M7s better for softer snow with occasional crud (VERY reliable here). Not confidence-inspiring carving on ice. Would bring Kendos anywhere!
Interesting. I had the Kendo 88 last year and I definitely felt the same as you when it came to groomed runs and in rough snow. Super fun. But I sold them because of two reasons. 1) they were too much for me in the bumps. I am pretty sure an expert skier could use them in the bumps but for me as a lower level advanced skier who is still improving in the bumps the tail seemed to get me. And mogul skiing is kinda a focus of mine now. Maybe I could have skied down a length though? 2) I like to hit small to medium side hits and the Kendo skis feel so boring in the air. I thought about demoing a set of M7s just for the fun of it and I appreciate your comment.
I got M6 Mantra's in 184 as my first pair of own skis after renting for years and am astounded by their carving and acceleration. Definitely sticking with Volkl for the next Mantra generation when it's time to upgrade again.
i wanted to stop this video so many times and make comments... i am really glad that you reviewed this ski right after the Montero.. i would guess that this ski has a little more diversity than the Montero but they both haul @$$.. i tried to demo the M6 Mantra and they did not have any left so i demoed the Mantra 102 and i really liked it.. i have been on the fence about getting the M6 for a couple years and now that the M7 is even better i might actually get a pair.. i will wait until after the season when they are on Super Sale..
Thx Elliot . "Ice" out west (I'm in CO) is what we called Eastern "Hardpack" when living in New England. If you could turn on it, it was hardpack. Can't turn, ice. Anyway. I just picked up and love the K2 Mindbender 99Ti and how it doesn't skid out when hitting a patch of hardpack. How does the M7 edge hold relative to the K2?
thanks elliot', used volkl last season a 161 and not to skinny under foot', fast ' good edge feel' love to try out that mantra at 171. thanks again' peace
I completely agree - it’s a ski that does some many things exceptionally well. I ski it as daily on the east cost. I think people don’t appreciate what a big improvement it is over the M6. I loved the Kendo, but now sold it since I got the M7. It’s also unfortunate it has a reputation of being a “demanding” ski. I don’t think it is and I believe a lot of people would be happy on it.
Völkl lists the radii as: (R1) 25 m, (R2) 40 m, (R3) 16.8 m, (R4) 22 m. As I understand it, R1 is the turning radius of the tip and is reduced (relative to R2) to help with turn initiation. Once you bend the ski you access R3, but with less edge angle the turn radius increases towards R2. A couple of weeks ago I rented this ski for a day to use on piste; but we got a dump of powder overnight so I ended up testing it off piste in powder. Not the best powder ski, obviously, but it worked well enough. Your observation that it would have been more accurate to name this redesigned ski the Kendo 96 (instead of renaming the Kendo, which didn't physically change, to Mantra 88) is interesting!
The Salomon Stance 96 is a very diverse ski although I'm sure the new M7 carves superiorly. I see lots of the M6 in Tahoe. Although I bought the Volkl Revolt 104 for powder & park laps, I was stunned by how well it carved on the groomed in the spring. While I prefer my Stance 96 in corn snow, I've a young friend who rips the Revolt 104 in the corn.
Thanks Elliott for another great video! I'm an advanced skiier here in Utah, ski mostly groomers and crud, but do enjoy the some nice powder as well. For a daily ski, would you recommend the Mantra 88 or the Mantra 7? I'm not opposed to picking up another dedicated powder ski as well. Thanks!
Depends if you want the ski to handle powder a bit better, and depends on your size. Am 6ft 190 lbs and the Kendo in 177cm is pretty much a perfect dimension for me. 90% of time (am guessing) you're on-piste and that narrower ski is just that much more fun, and it also is better at ice than M7. Kendo also cuts through crud and is more stable than any ski I've been on. If you want that extra reliability (and am guessing, better float) the M7 checks those boxes. Still, the amount of fun and nimblessness the narrower Kendo offers would be that much more exciting for what you're doing most of the time in exchange for a very small tradeoff for powder performance and crud-cutting (Kendo still handles crud amazingly, and is less ski to control)
My experience with Mantra88's is that if you push them hard they have the power to put you in the back and will chatter. What's happening is that the ski is gripping rather than washing out but there isn't enough pressure on the edge. It's really a technique error. Bring the hips forward on the next turn and the chatter goes away. The beauty of the Mantra88 and by Elliott's account of the M7, the feedback from the ski lets you know exactly where the sweet spot is.
Sticky wet snow is my nemesis. We get a lot of that here in New Hampshire especially in March which essentially kills off the enjoyment of the ski season for me. Ricky, what are your thoughts for the M7 as an eastern ski for those sticky wet conditions? I have Blizzard Thunderbird R15 (174cm) which is a great carver for such a relaxing, fun ski & Solomon QST92 (184cm) for those very rare eastern powder days. I am an advanced intermediate who carves very well but in my 70's I'm slowing it down.
Great review! Since you think Volkl prioritises carving so much, are you planning on trying their peregrine line of skis? I’m really interested your take on them since you love carving so much, and I think their 3D radius especially when applied to a carving focused skis would be a very interesting combo when it comes to turn diversity.
I would love to review them if I could get my hands on them, I actually sent them an email today requesting the Peregrine, so no word yet, but fingers crossed.
I skied the peregrine 82 for the last week and just got the M7 2026 a couple of days ago and I love both of them. The M7 is more aggressive and want to be skied. The peregrine is really relaxing skiing and I bought a set for my wife.
@@Jannenman1 peregrine is relaxing?? I’m not sure what you mean. I’m surprised because that especially the 82 is meant to be a carving orientated performance ski. I would think that it would feel the best if being carved hard instead of “relaxing”
By relaxing I mean the ski is not asking me to ski it hard all the time. The M7 I really need to hold myself back because it wants to be carved/skied hard. I tore my AC joint 3 weeks ago so I need to take it easy at the moment. The 82 is great for when the slopes are in bad condition as they currently are in Austria 45f/7C temperatures on the mountain.
Hey! Thanks so much for your great content. I know you've spoken a lot about ski length and even have a whole video on it, but I still have 2 questions that I'm left with... 1) What do you make of manufacturer ski length reccomendations (ex: salomon for your height (6'1) and ski level (expert) would have you are easily at the qst 106 189 length). And 2) I'd really appreciate your perspective on ski length specifically for pretty heavily rockered skis (whether powder or all mountain). For instance, it seems like everywhere I look regarding the QST line that everyone says they ski so short and the skis should be well above ones head due to the short effective edge. I appreciate all you do and it would make my day to hear your thoughts on these questions.
Glad to see this review, I ski on the M6 - 184 cm. Colorado skier, Former racer, love to carve. The M6s are delaminating in their third season. Love the M6 in powder, crud and corduroy. Considering the Stockli Monero AR vs Volkl M7 as my next ski. Disregarding price, do you have a preference?
I had Volkl RTM 84 and got the Stockli AR late last year. I have begun taking both every time out because I can’t tell the difference and am trying hard to find the difference (to justify the price I paid). Love the AR’s but don’t find them materially different from my Volkl’s
How to you think it works in 6"+ powder or deep crud in the trees? The Mantra M5 does not like to float, it likes to plow through the snow. I think it is great ripping down a hardpack run or one with crud, but not nearly as fun with fresh snow. They are ok in moguls and tress (unless deep snow/crud). I recently got some Salomon QST 106 for powder trips. When I replace my M5 (metal delaminating....), what would you recommend for a 2 ski quiver out west skier? Thanks
I was looking for a 100-104 all mountain 1 ski quiver and I tried the M7 102, enforcer 104, and Rustler 10. The M7 was a fun ski but I felt a little more comfortable on the Rustlers for whatever reason so I bought them. I think maybe the M7 was a little too springy for me lol. It is definitely a great ski though.
What do you think about Booster straps compared to high end boots that come with a similar type of strap (not Velcro)? For example, I have a pair of Dalbello Krypton 130 TI that come with a strap that seems similar to what a booster strap is, I've never used a booster so curious if there would be much of a difference compared to what is on my boot?
Hey Elliott, I'm 5'9", a muscular 180≈ lbs (+20≈ lbs of rig), and I sit ski on a Mantra M7 177. I'm very pleased with it; in addition to that, it's the first ski I ever actually purchased. I'm working to become a higher level skier, and as a primarily BC Canada rider, I believe this to be one of the best tools to help me progress, conditions be damned. I enjoy your content and even though our sports are different, there are concepts you describe that translate very well to sit skiing. I have two questions I hope you can help with. First, I think I may have gone too short with the 177: what symptoms would become apparent with a ski that is too short? Second, I am on one single ski as most other higher level sit skiers tend to be. Also, my binding is a HEAD FREEFLEX ST 20 X RD mounted to a 15mm race plate. I was recommended by another sit skier to use a race place and the most readily apparent change to my ski day is that the added clearance makes loading chairs substantially easier. I'm wondering how a skis performance will change when a binding is mounted on a race plate? Thank you so much, and please take care 😁
I am on one single ski as most other higher level sit skiers tend to be. Also, my binding is a HEAD FREEFLEX ST 20 X RD mounted to a 15mm race plate. Do you know the affect a race plate would have on the ski? I was recommended by another sit skier to mount to a race place and of all things, the added clearance makes loading chairs way easier. I'm wondering about how skis performance tends to change with a race plate. Thanks again 😁
Do we as skiers create this dichotomy of trail vs. powder in our minds, and thereby call a ski "compromised" which doesn't function most optimally on either snow type? Or is it more realistic to expect the "between" snow type to be the most common, the most desired, and the skis that handle these conditions to be the most optimal?
Wondering if it's necessary. The Kendo has been a trail ski primarily, and optimized for prepared snow surfaces, carving, speed, and stability. That's at least from my own understanding. The 4D shape might reduce that focused function into a less focused function.
I kind of hope they don't do this with the Kendo/Mantra 88. I believe the M7s were given a slightly wider tip (than the M6's) for easier turns. This makes sense for a wider/burlier ski like the M7s. For Kendos they are narrower and naturally lighter for easier manipulation. I think the Kendos are great for the wider/GS turns and thrive more having that forward aiming race feel. Yeah sometimes I wish the Kendos were a bit turnier going slower but I think in giving the Kendo/Mantra 88 a unique identity I'd leave it alone as they're great the way the are. Also Elliot gave the Kendos a 9.3/10 which beats the 9 for the M7s :)
What do you think about Booster straps compared to high end boots that come with a similar type of strap (not Velcro)? For example, I have a pair of Dalbello Krypton 130 TI that come with a strap that seems similar to what a booster strap is, I've never used a booster so curious if there would be much of a difference compared to what is on my boot?
Thanks Volkl for sharing these skis with me! Hope all the members enjoyed watching this a day early. Cheers!
I'm a Volkl devote. Luv how they ski. I'm constantly pushing my speed limits and this ski keeps right up...I've said it 1,000 times...edges you can stand on.
Funny thing is tho....I've noticed that a lot of people in Utah aren't familiar with it and are a bit reticent with the brand.
@@keith2076 Utah skier here! Still rocking my Volkl 6 stars.
What in particular do you like about Völkls?
@@jdthood For me it's when you find the sweet spot which is not huge on my vokl 6 stars, they will reward you with confidence. They are not lifeless or damp in the sweet spot, and give me confidence I can conquer the mountain. Skis are so personal though what one may enjoy another will hate. The Volkl skis I have owned you really have to push them hard to enjoy them. Not for the faint of heart.
Fully agree. I skied Head for the last 24 years and was trying the new Head skies at a local shop in Austria. They challenged me to try the Volkl Peregrine 82. I didn't think much of it but after just one run I was fully in love with the skies. I had right away 100% confidence in the ski something I have never felt before. I now bought a pair for my wife and my brother in law is now also buying a pair. I got the M7 myself a couple of days ago and absolutely love it!
The M6 Mantra is one of my all-time favorite skis. After watching this, I am DYING to try this thing out.
Exact same situation here - I demoed the M6 and bought the pair that day. Love how they carve and crush tricky snow conditions
Recently skiied the M7 Mantras! Own the latest iteration of Volkl Kendo 88s as well. While in Killington 2 weeks ago I demo'd the M7s, the new Nordica Enforcer 94s, and skiied my Kendos. Elliot what you said at 11:00 is absolutely spot on about the M7s. Found Killington to be a bit icy and the M7s had inconsistent performance. The demo shop gave the skis almost too good of a tune and edge holding went from non-existent to too strong (almost catching). But overall in icey conditions the M7s were a bit too much ski, just not a great match. A couple other skiiers agreed. But the Kendos were absolute rockstars. Overall, I would strongly recommend the Kendo 88s (latest versions) for East Coast over Mantra M7s. For me that 88 width is just a perfect dimension for fun/nimblessness/stability but also handling that ice. Of the 10+ skis I've been on the Kendos are easily the best of all of them - stable and fun!! I would say if the snow was softer the M7s would have been a better experience. Was looking for a West Coast ski to compliment the Kendos which is why I demo'd the M7s and the Enforcer 94s, but I truly think the Kendos for me will work just just fine on East and West. That 88 width is my favorite for fun skiing but can also handle most conditions. Also tried the Enforcer 94s - fun and simpler ski but was not nearly as stable in Vermont as both the Kendos and the Mantra M7. In fact after 6 runs I put the Enforcers back in the car and pulled out the Kendos and had a blast! I would appreciate a second ski that's a touch more turnier than the Kendo in 88 range but honestly I'm doubting a ski can do that without losing the top-end/stability of that Kendo (even the Maverick for me didn't come close). That's nitpicking as the Kendo can short-turn it just requires a touch more effort. And will clarify as an intermediate I don't find the Kendos or the M7s overly demanding in general at all!
TLDR - M7s not too demanding if not skiing icy conditions. Kendos better in this and more forgiving - also my FAVORITE ski out there. M7s better for softer snow with occasional crud (VERY reliable here). Not confidence-inspiring carving on ice. Would bring Kendos anywhere!
Interesting. I had the Kendo 88 last year and I definitely felt the same as you when it came to groomed runs and in rough snow. Super fun. But I sold them because of two reasons. 1) they were too much for me in the bumps. I am pretty sure an expert skier could use them in the bumps but for me as a lower level advanced skier who is still improving in the bumps the tail seemed to get me. And mogul skiing is kinda a focus of mine now. Maybe I could have skied down a length though? 2) I like to hit small to medium side hits and the Kendo skis feel so boring in the air.
I thought about demoing a set of M7s just for the fun of it and I appreciate your comment.
@ShaunEk1 Probably a good move to dump the Kendos as they sound the opposite of those things
Enjoyed seeing your shadow when carving-nice form!
I just got the M7 2026 and absolutely love them!
I have been waiting for this review!!!!! you da man!
I got M6 Mantra's in 184 as my first pair of own skis after renting for years and am astounded by their carving and acceleration. Definitely sticking with Volkl for the next Mantra generation when it's time to upgrade again.
Great review among your very best!
Nice review again! I think you really nailed it with the format.
i wanted to stop this video so many times and make comments... i am really glad that you reviewed this ski right after the Montero.. i would guess that this ski has a little more diversity than the Montero but they both haul @$$.. i tried to demo the M6 Mantra and they did not have any left so i demoed the Mantra 102 and i really liked it.. i have been on the fence about getting the M6 for a couple years and now that the M7 is even better i might actually get a pair.. i will wait until after the season when they are on Super Sale..
@@darinsmith2458 I have a pair of Mantra 102s that I bought too long. 177.
I’m looking to sell them.
@@keith2076 177 is my length.. I already have a pair of 100s 104 and 105..
I love my Volkl M5 Mantra and older versions I have owned. I would like to try these !!
Thx Elliot . "Ice" out west (I'm in CO) is what we called Eastern "Hardpack" when living in New England. If you could turn on it, it was hardpack. Can't turn, ice. Anyway. I just picked up and love the K2 Mindbender 99Ti and how it doesn't skid out when hitting a patch of hardpack. How does the M7 edge hold relative to the K2?
thanks elliot', used volkl last season a 161 and not to skinny under foot', fast ' good edge feel' love to try out that mantra at 171. thanks again' peace
When can you get a hold of the new QST's!?
Good review as always. I was sorry to read an article on how Burke is struggling in receivership with the lawyer refusing to sell.
Thanks for the review
I completely agree - it’s a ski that does some many things exceptionally well. I ski it as daily on the east cost. I think people don’t appreciate what a big improvement it is over the M6. I loved the Kendo, but now sold it since I got the M7.
It’s also unfortunate it has a reputation of being a “demanding” ski. I don’t think it is and I believe a lot of people would be happy on it.
I have a pair of Deacons and it’s amazing how easy they are at low speeds while having a ceiling that’s higher than I care to explore.
Völkl lists the radii as: (R1) 25 m, (R2) 40 m, (R3) 16.8 m, (R4) 22 m. As I understand it, R1 is the turning radius of the tip and is reduced (relative to R2) to help with turn initiation. Once you bend the ski you access R3, but with less edge angle the turn radius increases towards R2.
A couple of weeks ago I rented this ski for a day to use on piste; but we got a dump of powder overnight so I ended up testing it off piste in powder. Not the best powder ski, obviously, but it worked well enough.
Your observation that it would have been more accurate to name this redesigned ski the Kendo 96 (instead of renaming the Kendo, which didn't physically change, to Mantra 88) is interesting!
The Salomon Stance 96 is a very diverse ski although I'm sure the new M7 carves superiorly. I see lots of the M6 in Tahoe. Although I bought the Volkl Revolt 104 for powder & park laps, I was stunned by how well it carved on the groomed in the spring. While I prefer my Stance 96 in corn snow, I've a young friend who rips the Revolt 104 in the corn.
Thanks Elliott for another great video! I'm an advanced skiier here in Utah, ski mostly groomers and crud, but do enjoy the some nice powder as well. For a daily ski, would you recommend the Mantra 88 or the Mantra 7? I'm not opposed to picking up another dedicated powder ski as well. Thanks!
Depends if you want the ski to handle powder a bit better, and depends on your size. Am 6ft 190 lbs and the Kendo in 177cm is pretty much a perfect dimension for me. 90% of time (am guessing) you're on-piste and that narrower ski is just that much more fun, and it also is better at ice than M7. Kendo also cuts through crud and is more stable than any ski I've been on. If you want that extra reliability (and am guessing, better float) the M7 checks those boxes. Still, the amount of fun and nimblessness the narrower Kendo offers would be that much more exciting for what you're doing most of the time in exchange for a very small tradeoff for powder performance and crud-cutting (Kendo still handles crud amazingly, and is less ski to control)
Thanks for your insight, I really appreciate it!
My experience with Mantra88's is that if you push them hard they have the power to put you in the back and will chatter. What's happening is that the ski is gripping rather than washing out but there isn't enough pressure on the edge. It's really a technique error. Bring the hips forward on the next turn and the chatter goes away. The beauty of the Mantra88 and by Elliott's account of the M7, the feedback from the ski lets you know exactly where the sweet spot is.
Loved the review as always! I’d love to hear a review of the armada declivity 92 ti as I hear they share many similarities to the M7 and stormrider
Sticky wet snow is my nemesis. We get a lot of that here in New Hampshire especially in March which essentially kills off the enjoyment of the ski season for me.
Ricky, what are your thoughts for the M7 as an eastern ski for those sticky wet conditions?
I have Blizzard Thunderbird R15 (174cm) which is a great carver for such a relaxing, fun ski & Solomon QST92 (184cm) for those very rare eastern powder days.
I am an advanced intermediate who carves very well but in my 70's I'm slowing it down.
Great review! Since you think Volkl prioritises carving so much, are you planning on trying their peregrine line of skis? I’m really interested your take on them since you love carving so much, and I think their 3D radius especially when applied to a carving focused skis would be a very interesting combo when it comes to turn diversity.
I would love to review them if I could get my hands on them, I actually sent them an email today requesting the Peregrine, so no word yet, but fingers crossed.
I really like my Peregrine 82. Great ski for the conditions it was designed for.
I skied the peregrine 82 for the last week and just got the M7 2026 a couple of days ago and I love both of them. The M7 is more aggressive and want to be skied. The peregrine is really relaxing skiing and I bought a set for my wife.
@@Jannenman1 peregrine is relaxing?? I’m not sure what you mean. I’m surprised because that especially the 82 is meant to be a carving orientated performance ski. I would think that it would feel the best if being carved hard instead of “relaxing”
By relaxing I mean the ski is not asking me to ski it hard all the time. The M7 I really need to hold myself back because it wants to be carved/skied hard. I tore my AC joint 3 weeks ago so I need to take it easy at the moment. The 82 is great for when the slopes are in bad condition as they currently are in Austria 45f/7C temperatures on the mountain.
Hey! Thanks so much for your great content. I know you've spoken a lot about ski length and even have a whole video on it, but I still have 2 questions that I'm left with... 1) What do you make of manufacturer ski length reccomendations (ex: salomon for your height (6'1) and ski level (expert) would have you are easily at the qst 106 189 length). And 2) I'd really appreciate your perspective on ski length specifically for pretty heavily rockered skis (whether powder or all mountain). For instance, it seems like everywhere I look regarding the QST line that everyone says they ski so short and the skis should be well above ones head due to the short effective edge.
I appreciate all you do and it would make my day to hear your thoughts on these questions.
Glad to see this review, I ski on the M6 - 184 cm. Colorado skier, Former racer, love to carve. The M6s are delaminating in their third season.
Love the M6 in powder, crud and corduroy. Considering the Stockli Monero AR vs Volkl M7 as my next ski. Disregarding price, do you have a preference?
obv i'm not elliot but in a prior video he said the 2025 montero was his favorite ski he'd ever reviewed
I had Volkl RTM 84 and got the Stockli AR late last year. I have begun taking both every time out because I can’t tell the difference and am trying hard to find the difference (to justify the price I paid). Love the AR’s but don’t find them materially different from my Volkl’s
@ good to know cause ive got the rtm 84s rn and have been very happy with them
Hi Elliott, what's your thoughts on Nordica Unleashed?
How to you think it works in 6"+ powder or deep crud in the trees? The Mantra M5 does not like to float, it likes to plow through the snow. I think it is great ripping down a hardpack run or one with crud, but not nearly as fun with fresh snow. They are ok in moguls and tress (unless deep snow/crud). I recently got some Salomon QST 106 for powder trips. When I replace my M5 (metal delaminating....), what would you recommend for a 2 ski quiver out west skier? Thanks
Kore 93?
Stance 90?
Mantra 88?
I was looking for a 100-104 all mountain 1 ski quiver and I tried the M7 102, enforcer 104, and Rustler 10. The M7 was a fun ski but I felt a little more comfortable on the Rustlers for whatever reason so I bought them. I think maybe the M7 was a little too springy for me lol. It is definitely a great ski though.
The M7 and the Mantra 102 are different skis.
What do you think about Booster straps compared to high end boots that come with a similar type of strap (not Velcro)? For example, I have a pair of Dalbello Krypton 130 TI that come with a strap that seems similar to what a booster strap is, I've never used a booster so curious if there would be much of a difference compared to what is on my boot?
he's always been a big advocate of booster straps in general
Have you skied last years model if so what is the #1 difference?
Hey Elliott, I'm 5'9", a muscular 180≈ lbs (+20≈ lbs of rig), and I sit ski on a Mantra M7 177. I'm very pleased with it; in addition to that, it's the first ski I ever actually purchased. I'm working to become a higher level skier, and as a primarily BC Canada rider, I believe this to be one of the best tools to help me progress, conditions be damned.
I enjoy your content and even though our sports are different, there are concepts you describe that translate very well to sit skiing.
I have two questions I hope you can help with.
First, I think I may have gone too short with the 177: what symptoms would become apparent with a ski that is too short?
Second, I am on one single ski as most other higher level sit skiers tend to be. Also, my binding is a HEAD FREEFLEX ST 20 X RD mounted to a 15mm race plate. I was recommended by another sit skier to use a race place and the most readily apparent change to my ski day is that the added clearance makes loading chairs substantially easier. I'm wondering how a skis performance will change when a binding is mounted on a race plate?
Thank you so much, and please take care 😁
I am on one single ski as most other higher level sit skiers tend to be. Also, my binding is a HEAD FREEFLEX ST 20 X RD mounted to a 15mm race plate. Do you know the affect a race plate would have on the ski? I was recommended by another sit skier to mount to a race place and of all things, the added clearance makes loading chairs way easier. I'm wondering about how skis performance tends to change with a race plate.
Thanks again 😁
Hi Elliott 😊 when are we getting the Black Crows “Justis” review coming out?
Maybe it’s just because they’re red and black, but the M7 seems to be very popular with ski patrol.
This or the Montero AR for a one ski quiver for someone who doesn’t do too much off piste? Cost no object
Do these skiis "work" in moguls?
Do we as skiers create this dichotomy of trail vs. powder in our minds, and thereby call a ski "compromised" which doesn't function most optimally on either snow type? Or is it more realistic to expect the "between" snow type to be the most common, the most desired, and the skis that handle these conditions to be the most optimal?
I am hoping they redesign the Mantra 88 next season with the 4D technology...
Wondering if it's necessary. The Kendo has been a trail ski primarily, and optimized for prepared snow surfaces, carving, speed, and stability. That's at least from my own understanding. The 4D shape might reduce that focused function into a less focused function.
It’s happening according to leaks and probably will have slightly decreased radius compared to the 2025s.
I kind of hope they don't do this with the Kendo/Mantra 88. I believe the M7s were given a slightly wider tip (than the M6's) for easier turns. This makes sense for a wider/burlier ski like the M7s. For Kendos they are narrower and naturally lighter for easier manipulation. I think the Kendos are great for the wider/GS turns and thrive more having that forward aiming race feel. Yeah sometimes I wish the Kendos were a bit turnier going slower but I think in giving the Kendo/Mantra 88 a unique identity I'd leave it alone as they're great the way the are. Also Elliot gave the Kendos a 9.3/10 which beats the 9 for the M7s :)
Never had a bad day on Mantra's, they just rail.
The views from (I’m guessing) “Paradise” on a bluebird day are very nice ⛷
What do you think about Booster straps compared to high end boots that come with a similar type of strap (not Velcro)? For example, I have a pair of Dalbello Krypton 130 TI that come with a strap that seems similar to what a booster strap is, I've never used a booster so curious if there would be much of a difference compared to what is on my boot?
Will answer this in my next video